


Hiraeth

by Evekle



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: All of this happens in the last act of The Death Cure, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Established Relationship, Fire is everywhere, IronStrange Week May 2018, M/M, Maze Runner AU, My First Work in This Fandom, Squint to see, The Last City of Denver, Things go BOOM, iw reference, lots of implied stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-09 09:03:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14713145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evekle/pseuds/Evekle
Summary: Hiraeth (Welsh): the longing to go back to a place that has been so changed in our memory that it cannot really be said to exist outside our imaginations.Maze Runner AU, or if you've read the tags, it's all happening in The Death Cure. No knowledge of the Maze Runner Verse is needed! The events of this fic happen during the last act/last one hour of the movie. Tony and Stephen are just normal citizens as they witness this event occurring.





	Hiraeth

**Author's Note:**

> So Infinity War did this to me. Here I am. IronStrange has taken over, so have this oneshot. Still salty about not getting the other days done, spent all my time ironing out this one. But yeah, here's day 7, Alternate Universe for IronStrange Week May 2018. Enjoy the Angst cuz clearly I can't write anything else. 
> 
> Partially beta read by a friend, other errors are all my own. Kudos and Comments are greatly appreciated!!

They had finally found a home at the Last City of Denver. The jobs at WCKD had provided them the money the two needed to live out their lives, provided they don’t get fired. Tony thinks it’s great, a place to stay without the fear of the Flare coming in. He’s working as a technician, a boring job, he’d rather be inventing than doing  _ this  _ boring work. It’s the money he tells himself as he goes off to the heart of the City- the WCKD building. 

 

Stephen works a floor below him, as one of the doctors trying to find the Cure for the Flare. This meant constant interactions with the ones who were infected,and  Tony can’t help but feel concern everyday as the two prepare for their day. He’s heard that being around the infected or as they call them, the ‘cranks’, brings chills to anyone who walks by. After all, the cranks are,  _ no were _ , people in the very beginning. On top of this, Steph has mentioned how simply getting in contact with these creatures could result in one contracting the Flare, slowly going insane a few hours later. 

 

Going to work seems like they have to be prepared for anything. The outside walls aren’t going to stay forever. The technology they have now will eventually leave them with no resources. Tony wants to tell the officials that it really doesn’t help if Janson of all people is going to be the person responsible for the defence system- the man’s crazy! All the guy ever does is talk about how they need to find Subject A-whatever, or something  He’s just annoyed that he has to work  _ under  _ this guy. The job pays well though, they’ve been able to rent an apartment with the money the two have combined. At least they can live in a safe home, the Flare isn’t going to come in through the walls anyways. They’re safe.  

 

This was their home after all. 

 

* * *

 

Tony hears about the group outside of the walls, they’re called the what again? It doesn’t matter, all he knows is that the people are planning on getting in. This Safe Haven isn’t going to last, they had two days at most if they were going to avoid the fight coming. He debates in telling Stephen, if he does, it’s another thing to work and the two are already busy all the time anyways. So he doesn’t. 

 

Everyday, he has to worry whether the technology is going to break or malfunction, it involves running around the compound like a madman. At the same time, it doesn’t help how he has to look at a monitor, Janson’s orders, it’s for making sure that the people from the outside don’t break in. It’s a draining yet boring job. 

 

On the other hand, Steph comes back more tired every single day. Working with the other doctors and scientists has clearly made the job hard, everyone in the wing can get the Flare. They talk about those  _ cranks,  _ but never about how they were human before the change. It’s the idea in which one must distance the idea that they used to be people even though these things can clearly  _ talk  _ and act human. He tries to manage, balancing the stress of what might happen with the pre-existing ones. It seems to be working.  

 

* * *

 

The first explosion occurs an hour before he was going to leave his working station. It’s from the northern gate. From the place where he sits, Tony sees the segment of the wall fall down from the explosion. Fire erupts immediately, the boom from the supposed bomb echoes through the city. Tony sees all of it happen. Without even thinking, he gets up and rushes down the stairs. 

 

Everyone is dispersing to the outside, the evacuation alarms blaring everywhere. 

 

The hallways become a Maze, he needs to find Stephen through this mess. Doctors, nurses, scientists are darting left and right, screaming as more bombs hit. No one even knows what’s even going on, other than the fact that they have to  _ leave _ . 

 

Turning left, one glance, not there. Keep running. 

 

Another turn. Left, forward or right? Left. 

 

More turns. This entire place is a mess, supplies falling left and right in the panic. Everyone’s being evacuated to the safety vehicles. The mountains are where they need to go, away from the warzone. 

 

A few more hallways, the other people simply just darting past him. And there Steph is, telling the others to get to safety. At least he’s found him. It’s a victory. 

“We have to go!” he shouts. 

“I can see that,” Stephen fires back with a grin. They’ve found each other. It’s more running, trying to get out this building. A few others follow them as they rush to the stairs. They have fifteen floors to go before getting to the ground.

 

* * *

 

Stairs are terrible, Tony concludes. The worry that the escape vehicles are already full forces them to run faster. There’s a shake in the building, they’re nearly at the ground floor. Just two more floors and they’re home free.

 

Bursting through the door, there’s people going left and right. The exit is just a bit ahead. It’s alright. They’re going to be fine. The others that followed them go off in some other direction. 

 

It’s a warzone. Fire burning everywhere, glass shattering everywhere. Everyone is shouting, trying to find someone  _ anyone  _ that they know. Stephen’s asking something about the others, where they’re going as well. The two of them run, trying to not get hit by any of the falling debris. He pulls out the map of the city on his phone. It’s a fifteen minute run if they’re lucky. That is  _ assuming  _ everything goes as fine. It’s not too far. 

 

* * *

 

 

The entire city is on fire. Embers of yellow, orange, and red everywhere. Cries of the people are all around and they need to get out. Away from this place, the supposed ‘permanent’ home. He’s dragging Stephen by the arm, going through the various alleyways, trying to get to the back of the city where the evacuation vehicles are. They’ve run into no one so far, the sounds of the battle can still be heard. Out the corner of his eyes, he sees a flare of fire erupt, it’s another grenade most likely.

 

Somehow they run into Peter. The poor kid is in complete panic, Tony has him running in the middle, he stays in the back. He’s not losing either of them today. 

 

More gun fire from the sides, thank God that Pete knows the city from the back of his hands. Tony prays that no one sees them running for their lives. Fires are being born everywhere. He has no idea how long they’ve been running. A few more turns before they’ll reach the place where the escape vehicles are. Just a few more. 

 

A car is launched toward their small alleyway. Sparks flying everywhere. It skids and stops right in front of them. The metal of the car completely scorched and burned. In the distance, gunshots are heard. This is way too close to the war zone. 

“What do we do Mr. Stark?” Peter asks, fear in the boy’s eyes. The coast is clear. The lights of the escape vehicles blaring in the distance, it’s around a two hundred meter dash and it’s home free. 

They run. The sound of bullets raining in the background. There’s whizzing going right passed them. The feeling of pain blossoms in his left shoulder. Damn stray bullets, at least it’s just bleeding. It’s fine. Stephen turns back, pushing him forward. 

“It’s not serious! I’m fine!” he shouts in frustration. 

And they’re there. At the safe hub of the evacuation vehicles. Taking a quick scan, there’s May yelling at one of the guards. 

“I’m not leaving until my nephew is here!” May screams. 

Peter runs up to her. Tony sees the them hug. They’re going to be alright. 

“Get in.” The guards push the two inside. The entire vehicle is filled with people, everyone looking around in worry. Questions being asked between them. One of the guards quickly goes inside the packed vehicle. He looks over at Stephen, they lock eyes. It’s an agreement, they’re  _ not  _ going to be seperated. 

 

“There’s enough room for one more person on the vehicle.”

 

* * *

 

“Go.” that’s all that Stephen tells him. Tony stays grounded to where he is. He’s not going without him. 

“No. We  _ promised  _ that we’re not getting separated!” he counters, frustration building by the second.  

 

Then the unexpected happens, Stephen drags him to the vehicle by his good arm. The man tosses him inside, putting something into his hands right before the doors slam shut. Without an opportunity to get a idea of the bearings, the vehicle lurches forward. He tries to look through the windows near the front of vehicle, he sees Stephen going to the other bus. He lets out a breath. They’re going to be alright. The road’s bumps becoming more and more obvious as the road goes on. 

 

A few seconds after they leave the vehicle hub, there’s an explosion. It’s so close to where the other vehicle was. Coldness seeps into his veins, did the last vehicle make it? It’s too dark to tell. Their home was gone, just like that, a simple snap of a person’s fingers. 

 

* * *

 

 

Tony has no idea how long it’s been since they first started. All he can sort of tell is that they’ve passed the main gates. The mountains can be seen in the distance. Everyone on the bus has mostly dozed off to sleep, trying to forget the terrors that they’ve just witnessed. He tries, but can’t, worry for the last vehicle clouds his mind. 

 

* * *

 

They reach the base camp, everyone rushing out the second the bus comes to a stop. Renions happening all around, kids trying to find their parents, families and friends trying to locate each other. There’s sparks of joy every time they find someone they know. There’s also mourning at the same time, people realizing that their loved ones haven’t made it out. Some are yelling, others sobbing to themselves. He finds Pepper, somehow. It’s comforting, at least finding out that some people he knows got out all right.

 

The two eat in silence. Tony still can’t tell whether or not that last bus made it out. It’s the first time when he has time to examine what Strange has given him, it’s a necklace. There’s a single lime green gem inside, oval shaped, glowing ever so slightly. How? Tony has no idea. There’s ruins that surround the stone, smaller rings inside. It’s the one thing that he’s seen Stephen wear all the time, and now he has it. 

 

Only the morning will tell whether Stephen has made it. The only thing he knows is that ‘home’ was gone, burned into ashes. 


End file.
